Nonfreezing hydrant



Dec. 25, 1951 Filed April 4, 1947 J. H. SCHMID NONFREEZING HYDRANT 2SHEETSSHEET l INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 25, 1951 UNITED STATES NON FREEZING HYDRANT John H.Schmid, Erie, Pa., assignor to J. A.-Zurn Manufacturing Company, Erie,Pa., 21. corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 4, 1947, SerialNo. 739,423

.12 Claims.

Hydrants made according to the teachings of j the 'prior art, and withwhich I am familiar; have provided openings in the water line below thefrost-line of the earth to provide for drainage of liquid butthese'openings have permitted seepage of deleterious matter from theearth and in many cases there was-a cross connection with a sewer linewhich contaminated the water. Non-freezing hydrants having an ejector inthe surge tank became flooded when the hose leading from the hydrant waskinked or when it was shut off at the nozzle thereby permitting water tostand in the water pipe above the frost line of the'earth which frozeand caused bursting of the waterline. I

' It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to overcome the aboveand other defects in nonobjectof my invention to provide a non-freezinghydrant which is simple in construction, economical in cost, efficientin operation, and easy surge tank thereof below the frost line of theearth.

Another object of my invention is to provide a non-freezing hydranthaving a liquid receiving container adapted to be disposed below thefrost line of the earth with means associated therewith for emptying thecontainer upon normal flow of tainer when the line above the containeris restricted or shut off, and means for receiving freezable liquid fromabove the frost line when normal flow of fluid is shut off.

Another object of my invention is to provide anovel ejector-type surgetank having a bellows-operated check valve associated therewith toprevent'flooding of the'surge tank when the water is shut off above thesurface of the earth.

Another object of my invention is to provide a spring urged check valvein association with freezing hydrants and it is more particularly an'fluid, means for preventing flooding of the conan ejector inthe'surgetank of a non-freezin hydrant to prevent flooding of the surge tank.

Another object of my invention is to provide a surge tank adapted to bedisposed below the surface of the earth in a non-freezing hydrant hav-"ing a plurality of check valves associated therewith to preventflooding of the surge tank regardless of any abnormal conditions intheline.

Other objects of my invention will become evident from the followingdetailed description,

taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of a preferred embodiment of mynovel non-freezing hydrant;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view with parts broken away ofa modified form of surge tank and associated ejector member and checkvalves therein for use in a non-freezing hydrant;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational'view with parts broken away ofanother form of surge tank with ejector member and an associated checkvalve therein for a non-freezing hydrant,

and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view with parts broken away ofanother form of surge tank with ejector member and an associated checkvalve similar to the device shown in Fig. 3. Referring now to thedrawings, Fig. 1 shows a lower body member I of a non-freezing hydranthaving an inlet 2, laterally extending passage 3, a surge tank 4, an airvent 5, and a vertically extending valve rod receiving aperture 6. Arecessed counter-bore i is provided in the lower portion of the surgetank 4 for receiving the lower flanged end 8 of a flanged taperedejector member 9 having a threaded portion lil.

A cylindrical member II has an enlarged portion l2 on the lower endthereof having an internally threaded portion [3 for threadably engagingthe threaded portion Ill of themember 8. The member H has a reducedthroat portion i4 immediately above the ejector member 9 and anupwardly, outwardly flared portion [5 having an externally threadedportion it for threadably engaging internal threads I! of threaded capmemin the lugs 24a permit free flow of liquid in the opposite direction.The surge chamber 4 also has a depending threaded boss portion 23 forthreadably engaging a threaded member 23 having chambers 27 connected byapertures 23 open to a laterally extending passage 29 leading from thepassage 3 in the body member i. A comparatively heavy cylindrical valvemember 34 having legs 35 is adapted to sealingly engage the seat .33when liquid under sufficient pressure is in the chambers 2'! but whichpermits free flow of water when the pressure of the water is only thatresulting from the head of liquid in the hydrant.

The inlet 2 of the body member I has a removable, threaded seat member43 disposed therein and is engaged by a suitable valve member 4|operated through a cam lever 42 on the upper end of valve rod 43extending through the valve rod receiving aperture 6 in the body memberl. The particular valve operating means comprise subject matter Whichwill be claimed in another application,

The threaded cap member t3 in the upper end of the surge tank 4 has anupwardly extending, bossed threaded portion 45' for threadably engagingthe'threaded lower end 46 of a vertically extending water pipe 5! havinga threaded upper end 48 for threadably engaging the threaded flangeportion 49 of a check valve and vent member 3!}. The member 59 has aright angled passage 5i therein with a valve seat 52 formed at theterminus thereof which is engaged by a hinged check valve member 53which extends substantially in parallel relationship to the Verticalaxis of the water pipe -llf The member 511 also has a threaded portion54 for threadably engaging the outer threaded periphery 55 of a plugmember 53 having an invternally threaded bossed portion 51 eccentrically1 located with respect to the t hreaded portion 54 so that the member 50will drain below the check valve member 53 when the hose isdisconnected, for threadably engaging any suitable coupling member forconnection to a hose or'pipel'ine. A vertically extending passage 58leading from the right angled passage 5i in the member 50 has webmembers 59 at the upper terminus thereof for seating a check valve 33The upper end of the aperture 58 is enlarged at 32 and is threaded forthreadably engagingan apertured vent member 63 having avalve seat fi ito provide a vent for the pipe line 47 and the surgetank 4. The checkvalve 60 sealingly engages the seat 64 when liquid flows under pressurebut permits venting when liquid ceases to flow.

In operation, the valve handle 42 is rotated to move the valve 4| awayfrom the seat 120 thereby permitting water to pass through the rightangled passage 3 in the body member I upwardly through the ejectormember 9 andv through the memberl l to the water pipe 4'! and outwardlythrough the member 50 to the hose or pipe disposed above the earth. Whenwater passes through the ejector member 9 under pressure, a suction willbe created in the passage thereby permitting the check valve 24 to bemoved from the seat 23 by the water in the surge tank 4 and permittingit to move outwardly through the passage'2il and upwardly through themember I] to the water pipe 41,

21 to force thecheck valve member 29 upwardly;

against the seat 33 to close the aperture 32 against passage of liquidfrom the passage 3 and passage 29 and chambers 2'5. When the handle 42is thrown in the reverse direction and the valve 4| sealingly engagesthe seat 4!), the flow of liquid through the passage 3 will be shut 0Eand the back flow of water from the hose or pipe line will be shut offby the check valve member 153.. The check valve 313 will drop and openthe vent 33. Thus the liquid standing in the Water pipe 41 and the waterin the member 5 i, will pass downwardly and it will pass laterallythrough passage 29 and chambers 21? and upwardly past valve 34 toaperture 32 to the surge tank4. This cycle is repeated upon the openingand closing .of the valve 4|.

In the event that the hose connected to the member 53 is 'kinked or shutoil at the nozzle thereof, the surge tank 4 will not be flooded in thatcheck valve 24 prevents water from flowing into the surge tank 4 fromthe member it and there is still enough pressure of the water in thepassage 3, passage 29, and chambers 2.1 to move the valve member 34 intosealing engagement with the seat 33 It will thus be seen that I haveprovided a foolproof non-freezing hydrant which cannot be flooded nomatter what the circumstances in the line. 7

In Fig. 2, .I have shown a modified form of construction of the surgetank and associated check valve in which a body member til has an inlet65, laterally extending right-angled passage and a surge tank 63 havinga counter. bore 8 3 in the lower portion thereof A tapered cylindricalmember 63 is disposed centrally of the surge tank 33 and has an enlargedlower portion 35 for receiving centrally thereof an ejector member 6ihaving a threaded portion 68 in threadable engagement with the internalthreaded portion 69 of the member The lower end of the member 6? isflanged outwardly at it to seat in the counterbore 64 in the lowerportion of the surge tank 63. The upper portion of the member 35 has areduced throat portion i It and an upwardly and outwardly flared portion72 terminating in enlarged upper threaded portion 73 threadably engagingthe inwardly bossed, threaded portion 14 in the upper side of the surgetank 63. The member 85 has a laterally extending aperture "ls nea'r theupper end thereof for receiving a pipe 3 which extends into andcommunicates with the inside of a bellows member 71. A cup-shaped member18 has the open end 73 thereof threaded for threadably engaging threadedflanged portion of, the member 35. A seat 8l is formed internally of thechamber 82 in the member 65 and isengaged by a valve 83 having a stem 84engaging the end 85 of the bellows member 11. Aperture 86 in the member35 communicates with the chamber 82 of the member 65 and'the surge tankt3 and the flow therethrough is, controlled by pressure .in the pipe l3will not begreat enou h to 'move the bellows-I1 outwardly therebypermitting the check valve 83to remain away from its seat M to permitflow of liquid through the aperture 86- to the'surge tank 53. -"-;Wherethe pressure above the ejector member 6 I is considerable because of thekinkingof the hose or the shutting ofi of the hose at the nozzle, waterunderpressure will pass through the pipe "I6 into the bellows 11 causingit to expand and thereby causing the check valve 83 to move in sealingengagement with-the seat 8| to shut off the flow-of fluid to the surgetank 63through the aperture 86 to prevent flooding. the liquid on thehead of the check valve 83 will Pressure of also tend to move it to aclosed position. It will thus be seen that in this type of ejectorandcheck -valve arrangements, all contingencies are taken care of when flowof water is shut oftby the hydrant valve at the inlet thereto or shutoii at any -point-above the surge tank or ejector;-

All parts of the hydrant shown in Fig. 3 are the same as the hydrantshown in Fig. 2 except that the cup-shaped member I8 in Fig. 2 isreplaced by a closed cup-shaped member I58 to which a connection ismadeby pipe line II to the inlet passage 62. normal flow of fluid will causecontraction of Thus increase in pressure due to the bellows TI andopening of the check valve 83. Upon shutting off of the flow of liquidcomparative pressure of liquid in the bellows I! is notincreased'sutficiently to close the valve 83.

Wh'en flow of liquid is shut off when the hose is kinked or at thenozzle thereof, pressure of liquid passing through the pipe 18 will beincreased sufficiently and supplemented by the pressure exerted on theface of valve 83 to oifset the pressure of the liquid in pipe I5Ithereby expanding the bellows I1 and closing the check valve 83 toprevent flooding of the surge tank 63.

In Fig. 4 I have shown another modified form of my invention in whichthe body member 98 has an inlet 9 I, a laterally extending right-angledpassage 92, a surge tank 93 having a countersunk recess 94 in the bottomportion thereof, and

an inwardly extending threaded boss portion 95- The lower end of theejector member 99 is flanged at I82 and seats in the countersunkrecessed portion 94 in the bottom of the surge tank 93. The

,member 95 has a reduced throat portion I83 spaced above'the upper endof the ejector member 99 and has an upwardly outwardly flared portionI84 terminating in an enlarged threaded portion I85 which threadablyengages the threaded bossed portion 95 of the surge tank 93: The member96 has an outwardly extending portion I86 having a right-angled passageI81 from the chamber 98 of the member 96 terminating in an enlargedcounter-bore portion I88 having a threaded portion I89 for threadablyengaging a threaded valve seat member II8. A check valve II! is spacedfrom seat II2 of member H8 but is adapted to sealingly engage the seatH2 of the member I I8 and is held in spaced relationship by a conicalshaped spiral coil spring II3 secured by a spring locking clip H4.

The operation of the surge tank with the ejector member and checkvalveshown in Fig. 3 is as follows: "When liquid flows outwardly underpressure through the-ejector member 99 to the throat I83 and upperflared portion I 84 of the member a suction is created in passage I8'Iand the valve seat III is moved away from the seat H2 by the water inthesurge tank 13 which is thereby drawn out of the surge tank QB-andupwardly through the member 96. I When flow of liquid is shut ofi in theejector member 99, water passes downwardly through the passage I81 andsince the valve member III is spaced from the seat H2 and the pressureof the liquid is comparatively small, liquid will pass into the surgetank 93 without seating the check valve III. When the flow of liquid isshut off above the surface of the earth as when the hose is kinked or itis shut off at the nozzle, liquid will pass through the passage I8'I atagreatly increased pressure,

causing the closing of the valve III against the seat H2 and therebypreventing the flooding of the surge tank 83.

It will thus be evident from the foregoing description that I haveprovided a novel non-freezing hydrant having an ejector in a surge tankwith associated check valves of novel design and arrangement to preventflooding of the surge tank when the water is shut off above the surfaceof the earth and which still permits normal operation of the hydrantwhen the regular hydrant valve is operated.

Various changes may be made in the specific embodiment of my inventionwithout departing from the spirit-thereof, or from the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim is: I

1. A non-freezing hydrant comprising a body member, a valve in said bodymember, fluid conveying' connections to the upstream and downstreamsides of said valve, a surge tank having 'an aperture in the bottomthereof adapted to be disposed below the frost line of the earth, anejector extending upwardly from the bottom of said surge tank, saidejector being connected to saidupstream connection from said valve, ariser connected to the upstream side of said-ejector and adapted toextend to the surface of the ground, a casing having a passagewayleading from said ejector to the lower portion of said surge tank,"acheck valve in said passageway for checking the flow of fluid in adirectionfrom said ejector to said surge tank, a fluid conveyingconn'ection extending from the aperture in the bottom of said surge tankto the fluid conmotion on the upstream side of said valve,'and a checkvalve in said last mentioned fluid connection to check the flow of fluidfromsaid surge tank and normally to said surgetankexcept when the flowof fluid is other than upstream in said ejector, said ejector beingadapted to empty said surge tank through said passageway in said casingleading thereto when water flows upstream therethrough.

2. A non-freezing hydrant as set forth in claim Y 1 wherein said checkvalve for sealingly engag- 5- n n -i e m nyd; am a se f t l .1 wherein acheck valve member is disposedon the upper end of said riser havingaright-angled line of the earth havin an inlet, a surge tank I i havingan aperture ,in the bottom thereof, a jet member extending upwardly fromthe bottom of 7 said surge tank, passages for fluid in said body memberconnecting said inlet-and said jet memher and the aperture in the bottomof said surge tank, a surrounding enclosed skirt for said jet member insaid surge tank having a throat .portion immediately above said jetmember and having the upper portion thereof flared upwardly andoutwardly, a riser extending upwardly from i said enclosed skirt forsaid .iet member to the surface of the earth, a member extendinglaterally from said ski-rt member having a passage leading from the topof said Jet member to a point adjacent the bottom of said surge tank,

a check valve in said last'mentioned passage for preventing the flow-offluid-from said skirt member to said surge tank, a check valve in saidbody member normally sealingly engaging the aperture in the bottom ofsaid surge tank to 5";

prevent the flow of fluid to said surge tank when water ispassingupstream through said passage- .way leading to said jet membersaid body member but movable from a sealed position to pass fluid tosaid surge tank when flow in-said riser is other than upstream, and aval-ve for controlling the flow orfluid through the inlet'in said bodymember.

8. QAI non-freezing hydrant as set fiorthin claim 7 wherein said surge-tank has a ,ventleading. to

an upwardly extending valve rod chamber from the body portion of saidnon-freezing hydrant.

9. A non-freezing hydrant assetforth in claim 7 wherein said jet membercomprises a threaded ta ered member avi an outwa dly flan ed baseportion disposed in a recessed eountersun-k p tiq v sai ur e an ndrs idk im be has an enlarged lower end forming a chamber around said jetmember.- and having jan interiorly threaded portion .for engaging thetl' -re adedportion of said jet member.

A n re n d an as s ie th claim. wh in a member o h up e en of said riserhas a check valve to prevent back flow qf water to said riser and surgetank. I

11. A nonfreezing hydrant, as set forth in claim 10 wherein saidmemberonthe upper end of said riser has a vent with'a check valve-therein.

12. An apparatus for evacuating an upwardly extending fluid line when afluid ceases to flow upstream thereof comprising an upwardly extendingfluid line, a member having a fluid .pas-

sa y de n n ani l t nne te t sa dfiu s line, afluid container having anaperture in the bottom thereof connected to the upstream side of saidmember in fluid flow relationship-therewith, a valve in the passagewayof saidmember controlling the flow of fluid therethrough, ejector meansextending upwardly in said fluid line for evacuating fluid irom .saidcontainer when fluid moves ups eam the i a fluid nnec on etween saidejector means and the lower portion of the interior of said container, aseeond fluid connection between the aperture in the bottom of saidcontainer and the downstream side of said fluid line from said ejectormeans for evacuating fluid in said fluid line above said ejector meansand passing it to said container through said second mentioned fluidconnection when fluid ceases to new upstream in said fluid line, a checkvalve in said first mentioned fluid conne on o e in epf: flu d n adirection towardssaid eiBQtor means-between said ejector meansand saidcontainer, and ;a check valve in said second mentioned fluid connectionbetween said fluid line and the aperture in the bottomof said containerfor normally checking the flow of; fluid to said container when the flowof fluidin said fluid line is upstream but permitting the flowoffluid-to said container whenrthere ceases to be a flow of fluidupstream in said fluid line.

,JOHN H. SCHMID.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the r file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PA IENTS" Number Name Date 1,021,537 Lawnin Mar. "26, 1912 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 7,520 Germany of 1879 9,043Switzerland m or 1902 l0,134 Denmark of 1907 25,156 Germany of 188228,561 Sweden ofl908 236,645, Germany of 1911

